Removing snow from open ground, streets, sidewalks and parking lots is an age-old problem in less temperate climates where significant snowfall is anticipated during colder periods of the year. For instance, in many parts of Canada and in many northern states in the United States, significant snowfall can be expected during the late fall and early spring months.
Clearing freshly fallen snow from open ground, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks and roadways, whether these surfaces are paved or not, is a task common to all of these areas that is generally required to make these surfaces passable. If the snow is allowed to accumulate over a period of weeks, the snow eventually makes it difficult for pedestrian and vehicle travel, if not treacherous. Therefore, many devices have been designed and manufactured to remove accumulated snow from such surfaces.
Blade arrangements or systems for snow removal are typically mounted directly to a vehicle so as to remove snow and ice as from a wide variety of road surfaces. Depending of the environmental conditions, the type of road surface and the user ability that the snow plough blade arrangement is exposed to, the wear on the snow plough blade can be extensive and costly as the operator is constantly replacing the blades. Typically challenges for the blades include uneven road surface resulting in uneven/premature wear, repeated impact to the blades, hitting obstacles on the road, and operator error.
As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,017 issued May 5, 1998 to Jostein discloses a ploughshare having cutting edge and securing device for attachment to a plough. The ploughshare has a number of individual metalic parts which are firmly permanently embedded in an elastomer mass. The prior art however does not show the reduction of wear on snow blade systems as a result of the blades having constant metal to metal contact at different points in the attachment system.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,205 issued on Jan. 24, 1986 to Smathers and relates to a snow plough apparatus is described having segmented blade means comprising a plurality of bits. Each bit is independently mounted so that it can be vertically displaced when it encounters a high point in the roadway or an obstruction. It will be noted that such metal to metal contact results in an increase in wear and repair due to vibration which causes costs increase to the user of such a blade for removing snow from all kinds of roads and surfaces.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,032 which issued on Apr. 28, 1998 to Vauhkonen relates to a plough blade arrangement for a snow-plough. The plough blade arrangement includes a frame consisting of a flat part removably attached to the plough, several blade plates covering the desired working width, and attachment members for the blade plates to the frame. Here, the prior art does not address the ability to accommodate uneven and different road surfaces. Moreover, the easy replacement of the blades is also not adequately addressed.
The prior art does not show the reduction of wear on snow blade systems as a result of the blades having constant metal to metal contact at different points in the attachment system. It will be noted that such metal to metal contact results in an increase in wear and repair due to vibration which causes costs increase to the user of such a blade for removing snow from all kinds of roads and surfaces.
Moreover, prior art does not completely address the ability to accommodate uneven and different road surfaces. Finally, the easy replacement of the blades is also not adequately addressed.
For these disadvantages established, there is therefore a need for an improved sweeping blade device.